Day 4: Brussels Part 2
About a 20 minute walk from our airbnb is the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. Resembling the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, this center is composed of a town hall, a museum, a 12th century king's court, cafes and some stores. You can't help but admire the magnificent gold incorporated in the buildings. We didn't hang around too long because our stomachs were really letting us know it was time for breakfast.
Andrew Zimmern's Delicious Destinations listed Maison Dandoy as the place to go for Belgium waffles. It didn't disappoint one bit. The classic has all the elements of a traditional waffle but it was the Liege variety that we favored more. At first glance, it may seem ordinary but when you take that first bite you'll notice the unexpected caramelized notes, thick interior and softer crust. It's nothing like anything we have tasted before. We were tempted to get another round but there was still more food to try.
Fairly close to the waffle joint is the notorious Manneken pis. The sculpture depicting a little boy urinating, symbolizes Brussels's humor and their strive for independence. Several days a week, the bronze statue is dressed up in various costumes and props. That day it was decked out in some sort of African tribal attire. For sure, it's one of the top tourist attractions in Brussels and a very hot selfie spot. We were amazed on the length and number of pictures and videos visitors were taking.
For lunch, we ventured to Balls and Glory. They are known for their ballekes, soft moist chicken meatballs covered in a rich flavorful gravy. We also tried their arancini which was stuffed with veggies and cheese resting on a generous layer of mashed potatoes. Thank god we ordered a side salad to break up all the starch.
Somehow we had room for dessert. And you can't visit Brussels without trying their chocolates. It was hard to decide among the dozens of chocolatiers and sweet boutiques all around. However there was a chic store called Mary that lured us in. Amazingly they are celebrating 100 years of chocolate making. The clerk suggested a couple of 1 inch dark chocolate bars and two truffle spheres. We contently took our dessert to the local Egmonte park. Though the weather was unusually cool for summer, we both agreed better it be cooler than obnoxiously humid and hot.
In our airbnb manual, the host recommended the Belgium restaurant Le Chou which means cabbage in French. We didn't see any cabbage listed in their menu but we were happy to see they offered the Belgium favorite, moules et frites or mussels and fries. They were just as good as the ones we we had in Rennes, France last year. From what we can tell, the broth was cooked with white wine, celery, onions and white pepper. It was so good, we soaked up every last drop with delicious bread and fries. The croquettes that we also ordered were stuffed with shrimp and cheese on a bed of salad. The squeeze of lemon on top provided just enough acidity to tie the dish together. It was wise of us to dine early because it got busier throughout the night. Overall Europeans tend to eat dinner later than Americans. Make sure you have a reservation if plan on eating after 7:30.
We stumbled across a little Italian place called La Panzerottata that serves fried turnovers stuffed with cheeses, meats or veggies. You can tell the owner is Italian but he took all the orders in Dutch, French and English. We decided to go with the panzerotto stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella. Expecting it to be oily and heavy, it was surprisingly light and airy. We thought it could used a side of marinara to dunk with, as it was a little dry in the middle. But it wasn't bad. You can say it was a sneak peek of what we can expect in Rome, Venice and Modena.
It was a pleasure walking the streets of Brussels, trying local cuisine, drinking some of the finest beer and enjoying the sun on our rooftop terrace. We found it very intriguing to hear locals speak Dutch, French and some German. It has left a good impression on us and we hope to return to this great city in the near future. San Sebastian, Spain is next on our list. This region comes second in the most Michelin star restaurants per square feet in the world. In no time, we will be hopping around different bars and restaurants, in search for the best tapas.